Celebrate, support local breweries

It is no secret that Colorado prides itself on its beer. With Colorado-based brewers ranging from the gigantic Coors to the well-known New Belgium to an array of tiny micros, the mile high is overflowing with hops and malts. The week of March 18–24 will be filled with events serving and celebrating the state’s expansive beer scene.

Colorado Craft Beer Week, sponsored by the Colorado Brewers Guild, is a “celebration of Colorado breweries, their beers and the people who brew them,” according to cobeerweek.com.

“[Colorado Brewers Guild is] a nonprofit that promotes and protects Colorado craft brewers. We thought it was really important to highlight our community by giving them a seven-day platform to do really unique, intimate, fun, and collaborative projects,” said Steve Kurowski of the Guild.

Many of the events are tap takeovers by breweries, in which a bar will feature only beers from certain breweries on tap for a day. On Monday, Falling Rock Tap House will host the week’s kick-off event, featuring 80 different beers on tap from Colorado breweries.

Denver restaurants like The Kitchen and Freshcraft will be hosting five course meals, paired with different local beers throughout the week. Representatives from the breweries will be hanging around events to answer questions and talk about their brews.

“What I really like about this year is that a lot of events are going to be smaller, intimate, and more accessible, which means you won’t have to buy a ticket to get in. You can show up, buy a beer, [and] talk to the brewer,” said Kurowski.

According to Colorado Brewers Guild, Colorado’s craft brew industry contributes $446 million annually to the state’s economy, and creates at least 5,800 jobs.

“We’ve got 160 brewers in Colorado. Per capita that puts us second or third in the nation. We brew about eight percent of all the craft beer brewed in the country,” said Kurowski. “We’ve got 23 operating brewers in Denver, which are amazing. … A lot of these are very small, neighborhood-style breweries that have stood up independently.”

Colorado Craft Brew week will be working to promote these small brewers like Upslope, alongside their better-known counterparts like Great Divide. “Everyone’s got their chance to do something here,” said Kurowski.

According to Kurowski, the week will feature a “new kids on the block” event on Friday, March 22 at The Lobby. The event will showcase new Colorado breweries and have a 1980s theme. Tickets are on sale for $19.86.

On Friday there will also be a Classic Rock themed event highlighting breweries that have been around for over 15 years. “[Colorado Craft Brew Week] is for all Colorado craft brewers, no matter the size,” said Kurowski.

With well over 35 events across the state promoting good beers and awesome companies, Colorado Craft Brew Week should prove a great time for seasoned beer connoisseurs and craft newbies alike.